Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (406)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(108 - 109) “Say: This is my way. I call to Allah with sure knowledge—I and whoever follows me. Glory be to Allah, and I am not one of those who associate partners with Him. We sent before you none but men to whom We gave revelation from among the people of the towns. Have they not traveled through the land and seen what became of those before them? The abode of the Hereafter is surely better for those who fear Allah. Will you not then understand?”

Allah Most High says to His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): “Say” to the people, “This is my way”—that is, the path to which I call. It is the path that leads to Allah and to the abode of His honor, and it entails knowing the truth, acting upon it, preferring it above all else, and devoting worship sincerely to Allah alone, without any partner. “I call to Allah”—that is, I urge created beings and servants to reach their Lord, encourage them to do so, and warn them against everything that distances them from Him.

Moreover, I proceed “with sure knowledge” concerning my religion—that is, with knowledge and certainty, without doubt, hesitation, or misgiving. “And” likewise, “whoever follows me” calls to Allah as I do, with sure knowledge of his cause. “Glory be to Allah”—He is exalted above everything attributed to Him that is unbefitting His majesty or contrary to His perfection.

“And I am not one of those who associate partners with Him” in any of my affairs. Rather, I worship Allah, devoting religion sincerely to Him.

Then Allah Most High said: “We sent before you none but men.” That is, We did not send angels or any other kind of created being. Why, then, do your people find your mission strange and claim that you have no distinction over them? You have an excellent example in the messengers who came before you. “To whom We gave revelation from among the people of the towns”—that is, not from among the desert dwellers, but from the townspeople ⦗407⦘, who possess more complete intellects and sounder judgment, so that their circumstances might be readily known and their mission clearly established.

“Have they not traveled through the land”—if they do not believe your words—“and seen what became of those before them?” They should see how Allah destroyed them for their denial. Beware, then, of persisting in what they persisted in, lest what befell them also befall you. “The abode of the Hereafter”—that is, Paradise and the everlasting bliss it contains—“is surely better for those who fear” Allah by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. The pleasures of this world are marred, troubled, and fleeting, whereas the bliss of the Hereafter is full and perfect. It will never perish but will forever continue and increase: “a gift never-ending.” “Will you not then understand?” That is, will you not possess reason that leads you to prefer what is better over what is inferior?

﴿١٠٨ - ١٠٩﴾ ﴿قُلْ هَذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ * وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ إِلا رِجَالا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَى أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الأرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَدَارُ الآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا أَفَلا تَعْقِلُونَ﴾ . يقول تعالى لنبيه محمد ﷺ: ﴿قُلْ﴾ للناس ﴿هَذِهِ سَبِيلِي﴾ أي: طريقي التي أدعو إليها، وهي السبيل الموصلة إلى الله وإلى دار كرامته، المتضمنة للعلم بالحق والعمل به وإيثاره، وإخلاص الدين لله وحده لا شريك له، ﴿أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ﴾ أي: أحثُّ الخلق والعباد إلى الوصول إلى ربهم، وأرغِّبهم في ذلك وأرهِّبهم مما يبعدهم عنه. ومع هذا فأنا ﴿عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ﴾ من ديني، أي: على علم ويقين من غير شك ولا امتراء ولا مرية. ﴿وَ﴾ كذلك ﴿مَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي﴾ يدعو إلى الله كما أدعو على بصيرة من أمره. ﴿وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ﴾ عما نسب إليه مما لا يليق بجلاله، أو ينافي كماله. ﴿وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ﴾ في جميع أموري، بل أعبد الله مخلصا له الدين. ثم قال تعالى ﴿وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ إِلا رِجَالا﴾ أي: لم نرسل ملائكة ولا غيرهم من أصناف الخلق، فلأي شيء يستغرب قومك رسالتك، ويزعمون أنه ليس لك عليهم فضل، فلك فيمن قبلك من المرسلين أسوة حسنة ﴿نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَى﴾ أي: لا من البادية، بل من أهل القرى ⦗٤٠٧⦘ الذين هم أكمل عقولا وأصح آراء، وليتبين أمرهم ويتضح شأنهم. ﴿أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الأرْضِ﴾ إذا لم يصدقوا لقولك، ﴿فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ﴾ كيف أهلكهم الله بتكذيبهم، فاحذروا أن تقيموا على ما أقاموا عليه، فيصيبكم ما أصابهم، ﴿وَلَدَارُ الآخِرَةِ﴾ أي: الجنة وما فيها من النعيم المقيم، ﴿خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا﴾ الله في امتثال أوامره، واجتناب نواهيه، فإن نعيم الدنيا منغص منكد، منقطع، ونعيم الآخرة تام كامل، لا يفنى أبدا، بل هو على الدوام في تزايد وتواصل، ﴿عطاء غير مجذوذ﴾ ﴿أَفَلا تَعْقِلُونَ﴾ أي: أفلا تكون لكم عقول تؤثر الذي هو خير على الأدنى.